This invention relates in general to a pulser for generating a pulse by switching the state of a magnetic device that has come to be known as a Wiegand wire and, more particularly, to a mechanism and method for controlling the magnetic field to which a Wiegand wire module is subjected so as to provide an improved output pulse.
The magnetic device employing the pulser of this invention is of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,601 issued Jan. 27, 1981. This magnetic device is a ferro-magnetic wire segment which has been treated to provide core and shell portions with divergent magnetic properties. The wire is now known in the art as a Wiegand wire.
The Wiegand wire essentially has two states. In one of these states, the magnetization of the core and shell are in opposite directions and this state may conveniently be called a reverse state. In the other state, the magnetization of the core and shell are in the same direction and this state may conveniently be called the confluent state. When the magnetic field to which the wire is subjected passes a threshold in one direction or the other, the wire switches state. The switch in state is extremely rapid so that the rate of change of flux through a pick-up coil wrapped around the wire is great. As a consequence the output from the pick-up coil is very substantial, in some cases being as high as eight volts into an open circuit on a repeatable basis. The wire and pick-up coil is referred to as a module.
The characteristics of a pulse generator which are desirable include simplicity, low cost, versatility, repeatability, reliability and high output pulse. There are inevitably certain trade-offs in enhancing certain of these characteristics at the expense of other characteristics. However, it is desirable to provide an optimum combination of these characteristics with whatever enhancement of the characteristics may be achieved in an improved design and such is the general purpose of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,090 entitled Pulsed Generator With Shaped Magnetic Field issued Nov. 20, 1984 discusses the problem that arises because of the demagnetization field at the ends of the Wiegand wire. That patent discloses a pulser in which the excitation field is shaped so as to minimize the axial field at the ends of the wire thereby minimizing the effects of the demagnetization field at the end of the wire. This shaped field design provides an improved pulser in that the more rapid switch in flux when the demagnetization field is minimized provides a larger output pulse in the pickup coil than is the case when the field at the ends of the wire is significant. The increased pulse magnitude provided by the shaped field design disclosed in this patent serves to enhance the utility of the pulser. However, it has been found that the improvement provided is not as consistent and repeatable as is desirable in operating equipment. In particular, the effects of ambient fields and, most particularly, changing ambient fields results in a loss of repeatability and consistent pulse output magnitude.
Accordingly, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a pulser in which the enhanced output pulse obtained by a shaped magnetic field is provided in a repeatable and consistent fashion.
It is a related purpose of this invention to provide such a pulser as will be tolerant to variations in the geometric configuration and strength of the excitation field and yet provide a repeatable and consistent output pulse.